Dispenser for absorbent articles

Abstract

A dispenser of absorbent articles in a stack or a roll. At least a portion of each absorbent article is covered by a cover wrapper. The dispenser includes a housing, the housing including, inter alia, a friction element which is arranged to make contact with the cover wrapper of a leading absorbent article and deliver it towards the outlet of the dispenser. The friction element has a friction material including that surface of the friction element which is arranged to make contact with the cover wrapper. The friction material has a static coefficient of friction against the surface of the cover wrapper which has a minimum value, so that effective and reproducible dispensing of the absorbent articles is achieved.

1 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A dispenser comprising absorbent articles in a stack or a roll, in which at least a portion of each absorbent article is covered by a cover wrapper;
 said dispenser comprising a housing including:   an outlet through which the absorbent articles are dispensed;   support means for supporting said stack or roll;   and friction means arranged to make contact with the cover wrapper of a leading absorbent article and deliver said leading absorbent article from said stack or roll towards the outlet;   said friction means having a friction material comprising that surface of the friction means which is arranged to make contact with the cover wrapper;   wherein the cover wrapper is a plastic film or a laminate of one or more films, and   the friction material has a static coefficient of friction against the surface of the cover wrapper as measured by the method described herein of at least 0.4.   
     
     
         10 . The dispenser according to  claim 9 , wherein the dispenser is adapted to support absorbent articles being arranged in a stack. 
     
     
         11 . The dispenser according to  claim 9 , wherein the friction means comprises a belt. 
     
     
         12 . The dispenser according to  claim 9 , further comprising an electric motor, control unit and activator for said control unit, arranged such that activation of the activator by a user causes the electric motor to drive the friction means and dispense an absorbent article. 
     
     
         13 . The dispenser according to  claim 12 , wherein there is a built-in time delay such that after a user has activated the activator and a first absorbent article has been dispensed, a certain minimum time expires before a second absorbent article can be dispensed. 
     
     
         14 . The dispenser according to  claim 9 , wherein the activator is selected from the group consisting of a push-button, a lever, a wheel, an IR sensor, a camera, a coin-operated device and a magnetic sensor. 
     
     
         15 . The dispenser according to  claim 9 , arranged such that after delivering said leading absorbent article from said stack or roll towards the outlet, the friction means reverses its direction of movement a short distance ranging between 5-15 mm. 
     
     
         16 . The dispenser according to  claim 9 , wherein the absorbent article is a sanitary napkin or panty liner. 
     
     
         17 . The dispenser according to  claim 9 , wherein the friction material has a static coefficient of friction against the surface of the cover wrapper of at least 0.6. 
     
     
         18 . The dispenser according to  claim 17 , wherein the friction material has a static coefficient of friction against the surface of the cover wrapper of at least 1.0. 
     
     
         19 . The dispenser according to  claim 13 , wherein the minimum time expiring before a second absorbent article can be dispensed is at least 30 seconds. 
     
     
         20 . The dispenser according to  claim 19 , wherein the minimum time expiring before a second absorbent article can be dispensed is at least 60 seconds. 
     
     
         21 . The dispenser according to  claim 20 , wherein the minimum time expiring before a second absorbent article can be dispensed is at least 120 seconds. 
     
     
         22 . The dispenser according to  claim 21 , wherein the minimum time expiring before a second absorbent article can be dispensed is at least 300 seconds. 
     
     
         23 . The dispenser according to  claim 22 , wherein the minimum time expiring before a second absorbent article can be dispensed is at least 600 seconds.